major_clanger | Amazing Butterflies (and the moths are pretty staggering, too)

Butterflies and Moths at the Natural History Museum

My mum came up to visit over the weekend - her first trip to London in some eight years - and one of the attractions she was particularly keen to visit was the Amazing Butterflies exhibition at the Natural History Museum. So, following a very pleasant river bus trip to Embankment and a short tube hop, we turned up at the temporary marquee outside the NHM and, having waved our tickets at the staff (and explained that both being over 8 we were happy to bypass the fun-filled maze on the way in) we went inside.

Where it was hot. Damn hot. Also, incredibly humid. I'm glad I had a lens cloth with me as I was wiping condensation off the front of my camera every thirty seconds. As it was, photography was quite awkward; I'd chosen my 70-300 zoom because it gives good magnification, but given the size of many of the specimens my normal 17-85 would have been better, although changing lenses would not have been a good idea in those conditions! Even so I managed a fair few pictures - I could happily have shot hundreds, but after fifteen minutes we were both wilting, and even a warm summer day felt like a freezer when we walked outside.

If you like pretty insects though, this exhibit is a must-see. There are literally hundreds of butterflies and moths, so many that every plant and shrub is host to at least two or three, whilst others are constantly flying around you. Or, indeed, landing on you - there's a large mirror at the exit so you can ensure that you've not picked up any joyriders! A large cabinet houses dozens of pupae, with several freshly-emerged butterflies at any one time. It's incredible to watch their wings turn in minutes from soft, crumpled rags to crisp, flat spreads. Amazing Butterflies is on until mid-August - but whatever the weather outside, don't wear anything too warm!